5 One-Ingredient Beauty Tips

It’s really interesting to me that so many beauty products out there contain incredibly long lists of potentially harmful synthetic ingredients, when in reality, you can often achieve the same goal with just one ingredient.

One simple, naturally-occurring ingredient that you may just happen to have in your kitchen right this very moment. Whenever I use totally natural ingredients as beauty products in this way, it always makes me feel so good. I feel good knowing the origin of the product and what it’s made of. I feel good knowing that instead of sacrificing my own long-term health for short-term beauty, I’m actually nourishing my body in more ways than one. It’s kind of like a “Ha! Take that!” to the not-so-natural products I’ve used many many times in my past (that I hope to never use again).

There are tons and tons of one-ingredient beauty products out there. Here are 5 that I love!

1. Lemon

Lemons are one of the best ingredients out there because they’re common, they’re inexpensive, and they have SO many uses. One age-old lemon use is to highlight your hair! Just mix with water, spray onto your locks, go out into the sun and wait for nature to do its thing. You can also rub lemon juice onto your scalp to reduce dandruff, and dab onto blemishes to dry them out. Just keep in mind that lemon can be very drying, so make sure not to overdo any of these things, and be sure to moisturize your hair and skin if you notice excess dryness.

2. Wheat germ oil

Extracted from wheat grain kernels, this oil is filled with vitamin E, vitamin B, magnesium, potassium, and lots of other essential nutrients, making it a great choice for nourishing skin and hair. Applied to the skin, wheat germ oil can help treat and prevent psoriasis, and eczema, while moisturizing general dryness at the same time. You can also apply it to hair ends to lock in moisture, as well as to your nails to strengthen them and repair damaged cuticles.

3. Papaya

Papaya has a naturally creamy consistency, making it the perfect natural hair mask. It’s thought to remove dirt and oil, as well as chemical build-up, while simultaneously nourishing the hair with an abundance of vitamins and minerals like vitamin A, vitamin C, potassium, and magnesium. Mash up or blend about 1/4 of a papaya, distribute throughout hair, and tie on top of your head for about 15-25 minutes. Then, wash and condition your hair as usual. This can also be used as a face mask to moisturize skin, brighten the complexion, and even out overall skin tone.

4. Avocado

Avocados are another fruit with a creamy texture, containing fatty acids that help soften skin and lock in moisture. Use them in the same way as you’d use a papaya — mash or blend, apply to face/neck or hair, leave on for about 15-25 minutes, and rinse. Voila! Instant moisture.

5. Strawberry

Strawberries are great as a natural teeth whitener — they contain an astringent to clear away stains, as well as vitamin C to help remove plaque. Just mash up a strawberry with a fork, apply to your teeth, let sit for about 5 minutes, then rinse. You could also just rub some strawberry onto your teeth the next time you eat one! Just be careful not to overexpose your teeth to them, as this could possibly break down tooth enamel over time. (Psst, here are 3 more ways to use strawberries for beauty and 3 more ways to naturally whiten teeth!)

Ain’t this the truth! I’ve been switching over to natural alternatives and I’m loving it. I feel like I’m saving my own well-being as well as money! Ha. Coconut oil is my absolute favorite natural product. I use it for literally everything.

Friendly warning: just be really, really careful with lemon on skin in direct sunlight! It can lighten hair safely, but can cause acid burns that blister really badly, even on skin protected by a high SPF. (What a dramatic day at the beach that was :) Everything else looks golden – thanks for the tips!

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4 years ago

ErzzY

You can also rub the inside of a banana peel against your teeth to whiten them. Charcoal pills and baking soda work too (separately).

A little argan oil on your hair and face works great, although it is kind of expensive. Burmese sandalwood paste also makes a great mask- sometimes you can find it at Thai and Chinese groceries.http://www.etsy.com/shop/TamarackAndKhus

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4 years ago

Anonymous

I love posts like this. It’s so good to know that there are natural ways to achieve the same results as using chemicals. I also love the turquoise ring in the first photo!

does the lemon lightening work on people with extremely dark brown hair?

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4 years ago

Rekha

Ladies, lemon is bad for your skin. Don’t believe the Internet! Lemon is too acidic and should NOT be applied to your skin and it turns brown and dark hair orange in the sun. Also, wheat germ oil is likely to cause breakouts on the face. I’m so tired of blogs regurgitating the same bad information. Please do your own research and be more informed.

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4 years ago

Georgie

On the comedogenic (pore clogging) scale of 0-5 (0 being the lowest and 5 being the highest), wheat germ oil is a 5! I would use precaution when applying wheat germ oil to your face, especially if you’re prone to ance/breakouts.

Gorgeous photos! I am crazy for coconut oil ~ and beeswax, which I use in everything from lip balms to my solid perfumes. I also agree with the ladies who cautioned against lemon on the skin. I don’t use the essential oil in my fragrances because of its phototoxic properties. But, did I mention how fabulous those photos are? ;)

Beautiful photos and all these facts are so interesting. I have to try the strawberry and avocado suggestions. I love natural beauty tips because I am trying to stir away from using so many chemical based products. Thanks for the post!

I am loving this. I am a neuroscientist and I have worked a lot with natural products, at the moment in my lab we are actually focussing on the medical properties of turmeric. I think we all need to go back to basics. Thank you for posting this.http://www.lilyofthevalleybrisbane.com

Natural remedies and home made beauty solutions are always welcome. Milk butter with lemon and turmeric, tomato juice, cucumber juice, potato juice are some of natural and easily available sources that help to repair you skin tone. Even banana peel also help to whiten your teeth. Try for it.

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